PA investigates illegal works on land beneath Mdina bastions

The Planning Authority is “considering taking action” against illegal works being carried out on rural land beneath the bastions of Mdina, after it halted works at the same site four years ago.

The site is currently the subject of planning application PA/08350/24, which calls for the sanctioning of the reconstruction of demolished rubble walls, including minor excavation works for foundations, as well as proposed restoration and reconstruction of collapsed rubble walls visible in aerial photographs taken in 1967.

The area is both outside the development zone and within an Urban Conservation Area.

A member of the public alerted Times of Malta to the works below the eastern bastions of the Silent City. During a visit to the site, no workers or machinery were seen. However, signs of activity, such as track marks on what appeared to be a newly laid down layer of dirt, were observed.

A spokesperson for the PA confirmed the application is still under assessment, and that the authority had not sanctioned any works at the site.

“Therefore, the additional deposit of material on site is illegal. The PA is considering further action to be taken in view of the pending application.”

The application also calls for the “sanctioning of minor changes to the topography and address all alleged illegalities listed in EC 61/22”.

This relates to a previous application on the same site, which the PA had also refused. The owner had appealed, stating that the request for development was justified in view that the proposed development satisfied all the requisites of the relevant policies.

However, the authority disagreed with these arguments, insisting that the application infringed several policies and provisions of the rural policy and design guidance.

These included a provision that disallowed proposed development that would have an unacceptable adverse environment, landscape, cultural or archaeological impact.

The SCH set out various conditions for the application to be acceptable, including the removal of plans to construct an extensive basement and reservoir

In 2018, the Planning Appeals and Review Tribunal had reversed the original decision since the proposed development concerned the restoration of an existing legal and legitimate building that existed before 1969, according to aerial photographs.

From the plans and photographs submitted during the process, the tribunal noted that the structures consisted of walls that vary in height and that these walls were partly demolished and without roofs.

The tribunal had sent the application back to the Planning Authority to issue the permit within 30 days with the inclusion of standard conditions, including bank guarantees related to the monitoring of the restoration project in line with the restoration method statement.

In 2022, following articles on Newsbook and Times of Malta highlighting illegal works, the PA’s Compliance and Enforcement Directorate investigated and issued a warning notice to stop all works.

Plans showing structures that the applicant wants to build, demolish and sanction.

New documents submitted to the PA in 2026 show plans to construct, demolish and sanction various elements of the agricultural buildings and rubble walls on the site.

A document submitted by the Environment and Resource Authority states that the authority considers the application objectionable from an environmental point of view.

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage set out various conditions for the application to be acceptable, including the removal of plans to construct an extensive basement and reservoir.

“Any further works are to be carried out under archaeological monitoring in accordance with the Terms of Reference issued by the Superintendence. Areas that have already been excavated and remain exposed are to be restored under archaeological monitoring.”